Rainbow Herbicides
Encyclopedia
The Rainbow Herbicides are a group of chemicals used by the United States military in Southeast Asia
during the Vietnam War
. Success with Project AGILE
field tests with herbicides in South Vietnam in 1961 led to the formal herbicidal program Trail Dust (1961 - 1971). Herbicidal warfare
is a form of chemical warfare
, in which the objective is to destroy the plant-based ecosystem of an agricultural food production and/or destroying plants which provide cover to an enemy.
The Agents used in southeast Asia, their active ingredients and years used were as follow:
In addition to testing and using the herbicides in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, the US military also tested the "Rainbow Herbicides" and many other chemical defoliants and herbicides in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, Korea, India, Okinawa, and Thailand from the mid 1940s to the late 1960s.
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Success with Project AGILE
Project AGILE
Project AGILE was an ARPA project in the 1960s that investigated means for engaging in remote, limited warfare of an asymmetric type. The research was intended for use in providing US support to countries engaged in fighting Communist insurgents, particularly in Vietnam and...
field tests with herbicides in South Vietnam in 1961 led to the formal herbicidal program Trail Dust (1961 - 1971). Herbicidal warfare
Herbicidal warfare
Herbicidal warfare is a form of Chemical warfare in which the objective is to destroy the plant-based ecosystem of an area. In contrast to other forms, its use is not prohibited by international agreement...
is a form of chemical warfare
Chemical warfare
Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of chemical substances as weapons. This type of warfare is distinct from Nuclear warfare and Biological warfare, which together make up NBC, the military acronym for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical...
, in which the objective is to destroy the plant-based ecosystem of an agricultural food production and/or destroying plants which provide cover to an enemy.
The Agents used in southeast Asia, their active ingredients and years used were as follow:
- Agent PinkAgent PinkAgent Pink is the code name for a powerful herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. military in its Herbicidal Warfare program during the Vietnam War. The name comes from the pink stripe painted on the barrels to identify the contents. It was one of the so-called "rainbow herbicides" that included...
(60% - 40% n-Butyl: isobutyl esterEsterEsters are chemical compounds derived by reacting an oxoacid with a hydroxyl compound such as an alcohol or phenol. Esters are usually derived from an inorganic acid or organic acid in which at least one -OH group is replaced by an -O-alkyl group, and most commonly from carboxylic acids and...
of 2,4,5-T) used in 1961, 1965 - Agent GreenAgent GreenAgent Green is the code name for a powerful herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. military in its Herbicidal Warfare program during the Vietnam War. The name comes from the green stripe painted on the barrels to identify the contents. It was one of the so-called "rainbow herbicides" that...
(n-Butyl ester 2,4,5-T) unclear when used but believed to be at the same time as Pink - Agent PurpleAgent PurpleAgent Purple is the code name for a powerful herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. military and the Canadian Government in their Herbicidal Warfare program during the Vietnam War. The name comes from the purple stripe painted on the barrels to identify the contents...
(50% n-Butyl ester 2,4-D, 30% n-Butyl ester 2,4,5-T, 20% isobutyl ester 2,4,5-T) used from 1962 - 1965 - Agent BlueAgent BlueAgent Blue is one of the "rainbow herbicides" that is known for its use by the United States during the Vietnam War. It was sprayed on rice paddies and other crops in an attempt to deprive the Viet Cong of valuable crops. Agent Blue is a mixture of two arsenic-containing compounds, sodium...
(Cacodylic acid and sodium Cacodylate) used from 1962 - 1971 (in powder and water solution) - Agent WhiteAgent WhiteAgent White is the code name for a powerful herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. military in its Herbicidal warfare program during the Vietnam War. The name comes from the white stripe painted on the barrels to identify the contents...
(acid weight basis:21.2% tri-isopropanolamine salts of 2,4-D and 5.7% picloram) used from 1966 - 1971 - Agent OrangeAgent OrangeAgent Orange is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth...
(50% n-Butyl ester 2,4-D and 50% n-Butyl ester 2,4,5-T) used from 1965 - 1970 - Agent Orange II (50% butyl ester 2,4-D and 50% isooctyl ester 2,4,5-T) after 1969
In addition to testing and using the herbicides in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, the US military also tested the "Rainbow Herbicides" and many other chemical defoliants and herbicides in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, Korea, India, Okinawa, and Thailand from the mid 1940s to the late 1960s.
See also
- SmilexJoker venomJoker venom, also called Joker toxin or Smilex, is a fictional toxin, a favorite murder weapon used by The Joker in the Batman franchise of movies, comics, and cartoons...
- U.S. Army Biological Warfare Laboratories